GRASS-ROOTS VOLUNTEERS

About 200 turn out to landscape new homes for wounded veterans

Rancho San Diego 
Marine Cpl. Travis Greene watched from his wheelchair Saturday as volunteers planted a tree in the backyard of what soon will be his Rancho San Diego home.

About 200 volunteers armed with shovels, wheelbarrows and big hearts braved a warm East County morning to landscape new homes for Greene and a fellow severely wounded veteran.

“It’s just awesome that all these people are out here doing this,” said Greene, 32.

“A simple ‘thank you’ would be enough,” said Army Sgt. Odin Ayala, 28, whose new home will share the same cul-de-sac.

Both men lost their legs and sustained other injuries from improvised explosive devices. Greene was wounded while deployed to Iraq in 2005 and Ayala was wounded in Afghanistan in 2011.

The veterans are getting new homes customized for wheelchair use through the nonprofit Homes for Our Troops. Doreen Lewis, community outreach director, said the group has built 138 homes for veterans in 36 states.

The nonprofit will give 14 veterans keys to their new homes in December, beginning with the Rancho San Diego houses. The nonprofit also has built houses in Temecula and Fallbrook.

Ahmed Hassan, host of DIY Network’s “Yard Crashers,” added star power to the day serving as emcee of the event.

“We can’t have these veterans moving into homes with no landscaping,” he said, energizing the volunteers before they began about three hours of work.

Volvo Rents, Sherwin-Williams paint, CentaPro Painters and Hunter Irrigation were among the sponsors of the project, while Fallbrook-based Youngren Construction built the homes.

Landscaper Mike Knox oversaw the crew who set 250 plants, 15,000 square feet of sod and 80 yards of mulch around the two almost-complete homes.

Rick Penkert came from Gilbert, Ariz., to be a part of the volunteer crew.

“It’s just a great cause,” he said, sweat pouring off his face as he patted down earth around a tree he had just planted. “You can’t do enough for these guys.”

“This is just an excellent opportunity to show the guys who are really fighting the battles how much we appreciate them,” said Navy Reservist Cmdr. Bob Surovchak of Carlsbad.

Ayala admitted to feeling a little humbled by the attention.

“I’m the guy who’s used to helping people out,” the Calexico native said. “This is not something you get used to right off the bat.”

Despite his injury, Ayala said he has no regrets about his service and is looking forward to his new home, where he hopes to someday raise a family.

“I’m not going to let anything keep me down,” he said.

Greene, an Idaho native who has a wife, 13-month-old son and a daughter on the way, said he is looking forward to playing adaptive sports like wheelchair basketball.

“The will to live is so strong,” he said. “To be honest, there’s so much more stuff that could have happened. You’re always thankful for what you still have.”